The present invention relates to an engine exhaust purification system for conventional diesel engines which substantially reduces the particulate matter, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and other polluting gases, in the exhaust stream. Diesel engines are well known for their polluting exhausts which contain substantially larger particulate matter and more noxious gases than their gasoline-powered counterparts. While many advances have been made in both diesel engines and gasoline fueled internal combustion engines to improve the quality of their exhausts, most diesel engines have not benefited from the use of catalytic converters. A catalytic converter acts to break up hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen and other gases in the exhaust into their simpler compounds, providing cleaner emissions. However, when used with diesel engines, catalytic converters rapidly fail due to the buildup of particulate residue thereon which inhibits the catalytic reaction. It would be highly desirable if this residue problem could be overcome so that catalytic converters could be effectively used with diesel engines which would significantly improve their exhaust omissions. The present invention obtains that result.